By LDTT
September 29 2007

The Scarlets registered their first home Magners League win of the season thanks to this bonus-point victory while Connacht couldn't get a losing bonus point. Regan King, Vernon Cooper, Morgan Stoddart and Jonathan Davies scored Scarlets tries while fly-half Rhys Priestland kicked 14 points.

Connacht led 3-0 after a Tim Donnelly penalty but King's try helped the Scarlets lead 13-3 at the interval. Cooper and Stoddart tries increased the lead and while John Fogarty replied, Davies had the final scoring say.

Donnelly put Connacht ahead in the sixth minute but the Scarlets soon took control. However, they didn't go ahead until the 33rd minute when Priestland notched his second successful penalty. The fly-half was involved in the opening try before half-time with his midfield break setting up King to score after Stoddart's superb pass.

I'm sure most Connacht fans will be sick of Regan King by now. The Kiwi is one of the best players in the Magners League who performs consistantly to put his opposition to the sword. Personally, I'm sick of him! Connachts fortunes against Llanelli were much better before King joined the Welsh outfit.

Just like the first half Connacht scored first after the break thanks to a Donnelly penalty but the Scarlets were soon back in control. Lock Cooper went in down the left in the 55th minute after a break by wing Matthew Watkins and Priestland converted to make it 20-6 to the home side.

Just seven minutes later the strong-running Stoddart went over for the Scarlets' third try as they opened up a 27-6 advantage. Connacht did register a consolation try through replacement hooker Fogarty before Davies confirmed the bonus point with the fourth Scarlets touchdown.

Connacht will not be happy about conceding a bonus point, and not picking up a losing bonus point either. Still, with Gavin Duffy likely to be coming back sooner rather than later, Connacht will have another option in the backs.

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Scarlets: Stoddart, G. Evans, King, G. Evans, Watkins, Priestlend, Cattle, John, Hayter, Broster, Cooper, Eustace, D. Jones, Bater, N. Thomas.
Replacements: J. Davies for Stoddart (78), L. Davies for Cattle (50), I. Thomas for John (60), Owen for Hayter (71), Manu for Broster (50), Reed for Eustace (82), Edwards for N. Thomas (60).

Connacht: Durcan, Treviranus, Deane, Wynne, Yapp, Donnelly, McPhillips, Wilkinson, Flavin, Morris, Swift, Gannon, McCarthy, J. O'Connor, Rigney.
Replacements: Matthews for Yapp (51), Fogarty for Flavin (51), Loughney for Morris (13), Ofisa for J. O'Connor (51), J. Muldoon for Rigney (51). Not Used: O'Loughlin, Riordan.

Att: 6,560

Referee: Andy Macpherson (SRU)